1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a portable terminal device such as an electronic pocket organizer.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Electronic pocket organizers have been developed as an alternative to a pocket diary and is suitable for an information era. An example of such an electronic pocket organizer has functions capable of copying and moving a set of data (i.e., a set of data in a telephone book including personal data items such as name, telephone number, zip code, address, and note (place of work, position)) which is displayed on a liquid crystal display area.
The term "copy" represents a process in which a set of data or a character string such as a telephone number included in the set of data displayed on the display area can be copied to another display position. Specifically, data to be copied is first transferred to a transfer buffer associated with a CPU which serves as a control center for the electronic pocket organizer. Then, the data stored in the transfer buffer is inserted into another display position.
The term "move" represents a process in which a set of data or a character string displayed on the display area and to be moved is first transferred to the transfer buffer, and then is deleted from the display area. Then, the data stored in the transfer buffer is inserted into another display position.
In the copy and transfer processes of the prior art, a keyboard or the like of the electronic pocket organizer was initially operated so as to select a copy operation or a move operation, and then data to be copied or moved was specified.
The above-mentioned procedure is conducted inversely to the normal thought process of a human being in which data to be copied or moved would be initially specified and then a copy operation or a move operation would be selected. Accordingly, the operability of the devices is poor and an operation mistake is likely to occur.